Μαγώγ (Magōg)
Magōg
Magog
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The proper noun Magōg refers to a land or people associated with Gog, appearing only once in the New Testament at Revelation 20:8. Its meaning derives from Hebrew origins, where it denotes a territory north of Israel. The name is linked to the idea of being "overtopping" or "covering," suggesting a distant and formidable region.
In the Old Testament, Magog appears as both a person and a place, often identified with northern nations such as the Scythians. In apocalyptic literature like Revelation, it functions symbolically rather than geographically precise. The text describes this land as the source from which Gog leads forces against the holy city after the thousand years.
This single usage carries significant theological weight by connecting ancient Near Eastern geography with eschatological imagery. Translators typically retain the name Magōg without attempting to identify it with modern locations, preserving its symbolic role in depicting the final rebellion against God's people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Magog appears only once in the New Testament, found in Revelation 20:8. It stands alongside Gog as a symbol of the final gathering of forces against God’s people after the thousand years. This imagery draws on ancient geography to describe a spiritual reality that transcends any specific modern nation or border.
For your faith, this word reminds us that every rebellion against God is known and held within His sovereign plan. The text does not invite fear of unknown enemies but offers assurance that evil’s power is limited and temporary. You can rest in the truth that no force, however vast, can ultimately overcome the victory already secured through Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Magog,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Μαγώγ,1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 20:8
and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
This verse uniquely places Magog as a source of deceptive forces in the final eschatological conflict, highlighting its role as a symbol of ultimate opposition to God's people.